Parramatta stalwart Nathan Hindmarsh has condemned his teammates for a lack of desperation on the climatic play of his 300th game.
The Eels led archrivals Penrith 22-16 with one second left before Panthers fullback Lachlan Coote scored a miracle try to force golden point at Centrebet Stadium last night.
Hindmarsh’s teammate then Luke Burt hit the post with a field goal attempt before Panthers half Luke Walsh sealed a miraculous 23-22 win with a successful field goal.
The workaholic second rower criticised the Eels for switching off in the lead-up to Coote’s match-tying four-pointer, which came after a grubber by Michael Jennings and a sideline-to-sideline backline movement.
“They just kept coming, they put a kick in and we should have been more desperate,” Hindmarsh told the Sunday Footy Show.
“I was actually a bit worried (when Jennings got the ball), you have got to scramble there.
“We had enough players around the ball.
“It shows you need to play until the siren blows.”
Hindmarsh couldn’t explain why the Eels have dropped a number of heartbreakers this season, including a draw with defending premiers St George Illawarra and a last-second loss to heavyweights Manly.
“I’m not sure, I don’t know if we get a bit nervous in close games, the tight games we just cannot win and they’re the ones we need to win,” he said.
The Eels are in 13th place with 15 points from 17 games.
Hindmarsh threw his weight behind the golden point concept despite last night’s loss.
“I don’t have any problem with it, it’s good for the crowd,” he said.
The Robertson junior joined Darren Lockyer (345), Andrew Ettinghausen (328) and Jason Croker (318) as players to play 300 matches for one club.
Hindmarsh is one of the rugby league’s most popular players, having topped the fans voting for the inaugural NRL All Stars game in 2009.
He has made more than 10,000 tackles since making his debut in 1998, played 23 Tests for Australia and 17 Origins for NSW.
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